Last reviewed: 3 October 2026
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Medicare Parts A, B, C and D: the names and 2026 costs on Medicare.gov
The short answer: Medicare.gov lists four parts. Part A is Hospital Insurance, Part B is Medical Insurance, Part C is a Medicare Advantage Plan and Part D is Medicare drug coverage.[1] The same page lists Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) separately from the four parts. This page reports what the Medicare.gov cost page says for 2026. It covers costs only, not who is eligible or when to enroll, and it is not advice on what to sign up for.
The short version
- What you pay depends on the coverage you have and the services you use.[1]
- Part C (Medicare Advantage) and Medigap each require you to have Part B and keep paying your Part B premium.[1]
- To buy Part A (if you do not get it premium-free), you also have to sign up for Part B.[1]
- Medicare.gov says you might pay a penalty if you do not buy Part A when you are first eligible, usually at age 65.[1] It says the Part B late enrollment penalty goes up the longer you wait. This page gives no penalty amounts.[1]
The parts and what Medicare.gov calls them
| Part | Name on Medicare.gov | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Part A | Hospital Insurance[1] | Costs listed for inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility stays, home health care and hospice care.[1] |
| Part B | Medical Insurance[1] | Costs listed for most doctor services, outpatient care, clinical laboratory services and durable medical equipment.[1] |
| Part C | Medicare Advantage Plan[1] | Premiums and other costs vary by plan.[1] |
| Part D | Medicare drug coverage[1] | Premiums, deductibles, copayments and coinsurance vary by plan and pharmacy.[1] |
| Listed separately | Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap)[1] | Medigap usually helps pay your portion of costs for services that Part A and Part B cover in Original Medicare.[1] |
What Medicare.gov lists for each part in 2026
The amounts below are the figures on the cost page for 2026. Each applies to its own part only, so they should not be compared with each other as if they measured the same thing.
Part A (Hospital Insurance)
- Monthly premium: $0 for most people, because they or a spouse paid Medicare taxes long enough while working, generally at least 10 years.[1]
- If you do not qualify for premium-free Part A, you might be able to buy it for $311 or $565 each month, depending on how long you or your spouse worked and paid Medicare taxes.[1]
- Deductible: $1,736 for each inpatient hospital benefit period, before Original Medicare starts to pay.[1]
- During an inpatient benefit period, Medicare.gov lists $0 a day for days 1 to 60 after the deductible, $434 a day for days 61 to 90, and $868 a day for days 91 to 150 using lifetime reserve days. After day 150 you pay all costs.[1]
- There is no yearly limit on what you pay out of pocket, unless you have supplemental coverage like Medigap or join a Medicare Advantage Plan.[1]
Part B (Medical Insurance)
- Monthly premium: $202.90 (or higher depending on income). The amount can change each year, and you pay it even if you get no Part B services.[1]
- Deductible: $283 a year before Original Medicare starts to pay.[1]
- Coinsurance: usually 20% of the cost of each covered service after the deductible, as long as the provider accepts the Medicare-approved amount as full payment, which Medicare.gov calls "accepting assignment."[1]
- Medicare.gov says you might pay a monthly Part B late enrollment penalty if you do not sign up when first eligible, for as long as you have Part B, and that it goes up the longer you wait.[1]
- There is no yearly limit on what you pay out of pocket, unless you have supplemental coverage or join a Medicare Advantage Plan.[1]
Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C)
- Premiums and other costs such as deductibles, copayments and coinsurance vary by plan and can change each year.[1]
- The yearly out-of-pocket limit varies by plan. Once you pay the plan's limit, the plan pays 100% of your covered health services for the rest of the calendar year.[1]
Medicare drug coverage (Part D)
- The monthly premium varies by plan, and you may have to pay more depending on income.[1]
- The yearly out-of-pocket limit is $2,100 in 2026. It includes your deductible, out-of-pocket spending and certain payments made on your behalf, like through the Extra Help program.[1]
- Medicare.gov names two ways to avoid a Part D late enrollment penalty: get drug coverage when you first get Part A and/or Part B, and do not go 63 days or more without creditable drug coverage.[1]
Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap)
- The premium varies based on which Medigap policy you buy, where you live and other factors, and can change each year.[1]
- What you pay for Part A and Part B services with a Medigap policy varies by policy, and some policies include extra benefits such as coverage when you travel out of the country.[1]
Help with costs
Medicare.gov says that if you have limited income and resources, you may be able to get help from your state to pay your premiums and other costs, and Extra Help for drug costs.[1]
How to verify this yourself
Read the Medicare.gov cost page listed below. It labels its figures "What you pay in 2026," and says several amounts can change each year.[1] Check the page for current figures. Medicare.gov also offers a "Talk to someone" option for questions beyond the website.[1]
What this page does not cover
We read only the Medicare.gov cost page. We did not read the pages on what each part covers, who is eligible, when to enroll or how to compare plans, and we do not cover them. We give no penalty amounts. We cannot say which parts or plans suit anyone. This is general information, not insurance, medical or legal advice. For your own situation, use Medicare.gov.
Your next step
Before you decide anything, write down which parts you already have or plan to have and the date you first became eligible, then check the penalty and enrollment rules for each on Medicare.gov. If someone offers to enroll you or sell you a Medicare plan, our guides on Medicare Advantage and Medigap marketing rules and agent certification explain what to check about the seller.
Related checks
Our standard explains how we check an agent's license and disciplinary history. Check an agent reports our findings at category level, as a method and not a verdict. Neither reviews any insurer, plan or product. To confirm the person selling you coverage is licensed, see how to check an agent's license. More plain-language guides are in the agent guides.
When we will update this page
We re-read the sources when they change. If something here is out of date, tell us. Corrections are dated on the page.
References
- [1] Medicare.gov (U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services), "Costs", read 3 October 2026 — medicare.gov/basics/costs/medicare-costs
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